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F. E. JONES. YARN CHANGER MECHANISM FOR KNITTI NG MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 7, 1917.

1,341,324. Patented May 25,1920;

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ZMalnazs. (5am I S a ag, Roms F. E. JONES.

YARN CHANGER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.7,19IT.

1,341,324. Patented May 25,1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

java/21%)? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. JONES, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR,

BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A. CORPORA- TION or MASSACHUSETTS.

YARN-CHANGER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHTNES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pa tented May 25 1920.

Application filed September 7, 1917. Serial No. 190,255.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Central Falls, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement'in Yarn- Changer Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a spec1- fication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has relation, more particularly, to the pattern-levers or pivoted pattern-fingers through which the appropriate pattern-surface of a knitting machine controls the guides through whlch yarns pass to the needles.

The invention resides in novel features in the construction of pattern-levers or fingers, providing for adjustability by which the position given to a yarn-guide ma be varied.

he general objects of the invention are to improve the character and construction of the devices through which the patternsurface controls the positions of the yarnguides; to provide improved means of adjustment by which the position given to a yarn-guide may be regulated, more especially with respect to the amount of clear ance between the yarn-guide in its elevated idle position and the uplifted idle needles during reciprocating knitting; and to facilitate the operation of effecting ad ustment so as to enable such ad uStment to be effected more conveniently and readily than heretofore.

The characteristic feature of the invention is a pattern-lever of jointed construction providing for relative angular adJustment between the member thereof which contacts with the pattern-surface and the member thereof which connects operatively with the yarn-guide, position that is given to' the yarn-gu1de through the actuation of the pattern-lever setting-screw is employed in connection with the contact-arm or member for determining the angular adjustment of the same so as to control the position that is given to the yarn'g'uide. I

The drawin s show an embodiment of the invention t e preferred form.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows in front elevation acircular knitting machine havso as to regulate the ing the said embodiment of the invention applied thereto. The said machine is of the well-known Banner type, which is disclosed as to its main features in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 933,443 ranted finger date of Sept. 7, 1909, to J. emp- Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section showing chiefly the pattern-barrel and in connection therewith a pattern-lever or pattern-finger containing the embodiment aforesaid.

Fig. 3 is a detail View ,on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, showing the construction providing for adjustability.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts which are shown in Fig. 3. l 5

The machine shown in the drawings is an automatic stocking machine of a construction extensively in use at the present time. Thefollowing is a brief description of sufficient thereof to facilitate a clear. understanding of the relations and nature of the I invention. At d, Fig. 1, is one of the yarnguides by which the yarns are guided to the needles a mounted in the needle-cylinder N. The said yarn-guides are pivotedat d in a lateral extension 03 of the latch-ring C. The said yarn-guides are acted upon by leaf-springs d carried by the said lateralextension d and tending to'press the delivery ends of the yarn-guides downinto position to deliver the yarns to the needles 02 The yarn-guide oryarn-guides for the yarn or yarns time to the needles is or are held down in working position by means of the corresponding spring or springs, which latter,

when permitted to do so, will depress the yarn-guides from the elevated idle position represented in Fig. 1 to the regular working position of the yarnguides. The yarnguide or yarn-guides for the yarn or yarns that are not being knit are held in the said elevated idle position. In this position they extend partly over the circle of needles.

The lifting of a yarn-guide from working position into idle'position through the actuation of the corresponding pattern-lever or finger 7 is provided for by means of a lever F that engages with the yarn-guide, and a wire connector f that is engaged with the outer arm of the lever f and also with the pattern lever or finger, the said being supplied at a given 1 connector extending down from lever f and having its lower end connected to supporting-rod f, Fig. 2, above and in proximity to the pattern-barrel f. The said pattern-barrel is mounted in the lower-part of the machine upon a suitable supportingshaft s-having communicated thereto an intermittent movement of revolution by which the indicators 7, 7, of the patternsurface are presented in succession to the contact-portions of the respective patternlevers or fingers 7, in order to actuate the latter so as to raise the respective yarnguides d to the idle position at the required times. In the case of the construction illustrated in the drawings, a pattern-indicator 7 while engaged with the contact-portion of the corresponding pattern-lever or finger f keeps the said pattern-lever or finger in such position that, acting through the corresponding connector f and lever f it gives an elevated idle position to the corresponding yarn-guide. As previously stated herein in the said position of a yarnguide it projects partly across the circle of needles, above the tops of the latter.

When a pattern-indicator f is. caused by the advancing movement of the patternbarrel to pass out of engagement with a pattern-lever or finger f the corresponding yarn-guide is permitted to move under the action of its spring 03 from its idle position into its lowered working position, so as to present its yarn to the needles for the purpose of being knit.

The construction and mode of operation thus far referred to are as heretofore.

It is necessary that the working ends of yarn-guides occupying idle positions should be entirely clear of the path in which the hooked ends of upraised and idle needles are carried around by the movements of the needle-cylinder N, as for instance in reciprocating knitting performed during the knitting of the foot of a' stocking. Provisions for adjustment to insure a proper position of the yarn-guides, and safe clearance as well, are desirable. The said provisions for adj ustment require to be carefully contrived to suit the fact that the pattern-levers or fingers f are bunched together closely in the series employed in a machine;

In accordance with the invention, adjustability in the respect just noted is secured by constructing a pattern-lever or finger f with'a contact-member 1, see more particularly Figs. 2, 3, and 4, which extends outwardly over the pattern-barrel and is adjustable in an angular relationship to the remainder of the pattern-lever or finger, with respect to the pivotal axis of the patternlever or finger. I employ what is in effect a jointed construction of pattern-lever or finger permitting one portion of the latter to be adjusted relative to the other portion by a relative swinging movement. Thus, the contact-member 1 is hinged, as by means of a pivotal screw 2, to the other portion of the pattern-lever or finger. The actual construction of the jointed pattern-lever or finger may vary in practice. I employ an adjustment-screw 3, working through a threaded hole made in the contact-member l, and making contact by its inner end' against a convenient portion of the other part of the pattern-lever or finger. To secure the required strength and stability, and freedom from looseness and play, and at the same time secure a construction which will not interfere with the pattern-levers or fingers being placed close together side by side in the bunch or group pertaining to a machine, I combine the two members of a pattern-lever or finger by what is substantiallyarule-joint. Thus, one member, herein the contact-member, is formed with a slotted and forked inner end receiving in its slot or opening one end of the remaining portion or member of the pattern-lever or finger. The stem of the pivotal screw 2 passes through the interlapping portions of the two members. The inner end of the adjustment screw 3 makes contact with one corner of the end of the main member of the pattern-lever or finger so as thereby to limit the extent of turning movement of the contact-member 1 with respect to the other member as a result of the engagement between the pattern-surface and the contactmember. By means of the adjustment-screw 3, the angular relationship of the contactmember 1 with respect to the remainder of the pattern-lever or finger may be varied to suit requirements. locking-screw 4, having its stem fitted to a threaded hole in the contact-member 1, and adapted to take bearing by its inner end against the threaded stem of the adjustment-screw 3, serves to lock the said adjustment-screw 3 so as to prevent accidental turning of such adjustment-screw and consequent loss of adjustment. The tendency of the pressure between the contact-member 1 and the patternsurface of the pattern-barrel f is to hold the inner end of the adjustment-screw 3 and the corresponding corner of the other member of the pattern-lever 0r finger in contact with each other.

By slacking up the locking-screw 4, and

then turning the adjustment-screw 3 so as proper clearance with respect to the hooked ends of needles that have been lifted into their idle position.

I so locate the adjustment provisions that the adjustment-screws 3 of the various pattern-levers or fingers shall be readily accessible for ad'ustment purposes. If they were located at t e rear ends of the pattern-levers or fingers, they could be reached only with difficulty and inconvenience. I therefore 10- cate the said adjustment provisions at the front ends of the pattern-levers or fingers, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Here the are exposed to view, and the heads of the a justment-screws 3 are readily accessible to the operator so as to facilitate the application of a screw-driver or other appropriate tool for the purpose of turning the said screws and making whatever adjustments may be necessary.

What is claimed as the invention is 1. In a knitting machine, in combination with a pattern-barrel in the lower part of the machine, a movable yarn-guide which delivers yarn to the needles, a guide-controlling lever by which the guide is raised above the working ends of the needles or lowered into working relations with the latter, and a wire extendlng downward from said guidecontrolling lever, a pattern-lever to which the lower portion of said rod is connected having an outwardly-presented pivotallymounted contact-member engaging with the pattern-surface, and a settmg-screw fitted to one member of the pattern-lever and engaging with the other member thereof with its head conveniently accessible, by means of which setting-screw said contact-member may be swung around its pivot with respect to the remainder of the pattern-lever to adjust the relation of the yarn-guide to the needles.

2. In a knitting machine, in combination with a pattern-barrel in the lower part of the machine, a movableyarn-guide which delivers yarn to the needles, a guide-controlling lever by which the guide is raised above the working ends of the needles or lowered into working relations with the latter, and a wire extendin downward from said guide-controlling %ever, a pattern-lever to which the lower portion of said rod is connected having an outwardly-presented pivotally-mounted contact-member engaging with the pattern-surface, and a setting-screw fitted to said contact-member and engaging with the main portion of the pattern-lever with its head outwardly-presented and thereby conveniently accessible, by means of which setting-screw said contact-member may be swung around its pivot with respect to the remainder of the pattern-lever to adjust the relation of the yarn-guide to the needles.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. JONES.

Witnesses:

OLA E. GEORGE, H. LOUISE Moms. 

